Warm Jets – In Concert at T In The Park – July 11, 1998 – BBC Radio 1 –
Warm Jets to start the week. Together for a short three years, Warm Jets scored several hit singles and had released their debut album, just in time to be dropped from their label, Island Records. They were named after Brian Eno’s landmark album, Here Come The Warm Jets.
The band was formed in 1995 by Louis Jones, Paul Noble (formerly of Eat) and Ed Grimshaw, and signed to This Way Up records in early 1996. They recruited former Pale Saints, Parachute Men and Rialto member Colleen Browne on bass guitar 1995-1997. She was replaced by Aki Shibahara.
After the release of their debut EP Autopia the band received positive press and played prestigious support slots and festival appearances, including an arena tour with Blur. The band appeared on NME’s annual tour of up and coming bands in early 1998.
Their only album, Future Signs, was released in 1998, mixed by Glyn Johns. The band had top forty hits in Britain with “Never Never” and “Hurricane”.
The band had some tabloid fame when singer Louis Jones had a relationship with DJ Zoë Ball. They were also often namechecked by Jones’s friend and media buddy Paul Kaye under his Dennis Pennis alter ego.
Paul Noble left the band. The remaining trio recruited former Strangelove and Blue Aeroplanes guitarist Alex Lee. The group disbanded shortly after Island Records dropped them.
As always, I wish I could say this was an isolated incident, but it’s not and the fact that they were in the midst of releasing their debut album is just baffling.
But then, nobody said the Music Business operates in any sort of logical way – bands are signed and dropped on a whim. And maybe it’s personalities, artistic differences or a clash of egos, it’s never about one thing. It probably speaks volumes as to the current state of major labels and why mainstream music is bordering on chaos. Perhaps that’s a good thing.
In any event, hit the play button and have a listen to a band you may have missed the first time around.
